Question

Which of the following statements about alcohols is incorrect?

• A. Tertiary alcohols are metabolised in the body to ketones
• B. Alcohols undergo nucleophilic substitution.
• C. Tertiary alcohols have lower boiling points than primary alcohols with an equivalent molecular weight
• D. Tertiary alcohols undergo dehydration more readily than primary alcohols.

Answer 1

The correct option is A Tertiary alcohols are metabolised in the body to ketones

$\bullet$ Tertiary alcohols have lower boiling points than primary alcohols because their branched structure hinder the hydrogen bond formation i.e., inter molecular.

$\bullet$ All alcohols undergo nucleophilic substitution.

$\bullet$ Tertiary carbocations formed in dehydration reaction are more stable and hence they react readily than primary alcohols.

$\bullet$ But tertiary alcohols cannot be oxidized either chemically or biologically.